California surfers takes legal action against a gang of local surfers who were allegedly harassing non-local beachgoers, chasing them off from the surfing hotspot of Lunada Bay. The victims said, they were tired of the threats, harassment and sometimes violence, they had experience from the infamous gang of surfers.
Called as Bay Boys, they are a group of local surfers known for their efforts to keeping outsiders from the area of Lunada Bay, through their harassment activity, or in some of the cases, using violence, National Post reported. The group has been claiming the surfing area as exclusive their own territory.
Chris Taloa, 42 years old and a resident from the nearby Redondo Beach claims the boys tried to hurt him. "A guy tried to ram a board into my ribs," Taloa said. Despite the group zealous efforts to keep their territory-claimed surfing area cleared from outsiders, harassed surfers formed a group, aiming for an open-to-all beach campaign.
Two surfers and the Coastal Protection Rangers filed a class-action lawsuit against the Bay Boys last month, seeking to prevent the infamous gang from coming to Lunada Bay, an injunction used for a criminal street gang, according to New York Times. The Bay Boys were allegedly made up of members, whom all came from Southern California's exclusive communities, wealthy households, and were on their middle age.
Vic Otten, among the representing lawyers for the plaintiffs, said the group post a threat to the public. Eight members from the group have been named as defendants. However, Otten added, dozens more could be named. "They've taken a public asset, the ocean, and stolen it through violence and intimidation. In California, the ocean belongs to the public, not to a bunch of trust-fund babies," the lawyer said.
The Palos Verdes Estates police chief, Jeff Kepley was also named on the lawsuit, the Independent reported. According to the lawsuit, it claims the Palos Verdes Estates and its police department is not investigating, "otherwise policing acts of violence and vandalism" against the visiting beachgoers.
A court judge has ordered the officer to investigate the allegations. However, still, reports of harassment have continued. And most outsiders continue to stay away.
